University of North Carolina Athletics
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South Carolina State
No. 8 North Carolina Blanks South Carolina State To Advance To The Second Round Of NCAA
May 12, 2006 | Women's Tennis
Head coach Brian Kalbas was extremely pleased with the team's performance today and excited about the competition tomorrow. "With a three-week layoff, it was a good match to come back and start playing again," said Kalbas. "South Carolina State is a very talented team and they pushed us for all the points. I think we were more consistent, patient, and willing to rally for the points. It was a great effort by the team and gives us confidence going into the match tomorrow."
In comparative matches at the one and two seeds, the Tar Heels gained the doubles point over South Carolina State, jumping off to a 1-0 lead, with each seed defeating their opponents by an 8-1 margin. Ranked eighth in the nation, the junior Carolina team of Sara Anundsen and Jenna Long clinched their 34th victory of the season downing Mirian Cruz and Marcela Rodezno at the one seed. At the two seed, Caitlin Collins and Tanja Markovic cruised past Yana Lytkina and Gisel Brito, earning their 16th doubles win of the season. The freshman duo of Meg Fanjoy and Austin Smith led Vesna Popac and Alexis Panton 6-3 at the three seed before their match was suspended as Carolina had clinched the doubles point.
The Tar Heels dominated singles action at all six seeds. With wins coming from the one, two and six seeds, Carolina clinched the match 4-0. Junior Jenna Long, ranked 38th in the nation, moved her season record to 29-12 with a 6-0, 6-1 victory over Mirian Cruz. Cruz was undefeated on the season and now stands at 19-1 after the loss to Long. Senior Tanja Markovic earned her 23rd victory of the season with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Alecis Panton. Junior Caitlin Collins, ranked No. 75, clinched the match for North Carolina at the two seed. Collins faced off against Marcela Rodezno and took the match 6-2, 6-0; Collins' record now stands at 26-16. Rodezno boasted a 17-2 record on the season before the loss today.
South Carolina State University is the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Champions of the season and boasted a 19-2 record heading into the first round. South Carolina State head coach Hardeep Judge was pleased with his team's effort today against a tough team. "We played a very good and consistent team today," said Judge. "I thought with a two week layoff it might be better, but North Carolina is a really good team and you can't fault anything they did today."
In the second first-round match, No. 21 Wake Forest downed No. 36 South Carolina, 4-1, to advance to the second round on Saturday. Wake Forest earned the doubles point with wins at the two and three seeds. South Carolina battled hard in doubles competition and tied the doubles score at one-all with a win at the one seed, forcing the match to the two seed. Ashlee Davis and Ana Jerman of Wake Forest clinched the doubles point at the two seed with an 8-6 win over South Carolina's Christyn Lucas and Natasa Vuckovic.
With a 1-0 lead, Wake Forest clinched the match at 4-1 with singles wins at the three, four and six seeds. Christian Tara won at the four seed after Miranda Gutierrez retired in the second set. South Carolina won at the five seed, pushing the score to 2-1. Coming back strong, Wake Forest saw two straight wins from the six and three seeds. No. 125 Ana Jerman clinched the match for Wake Forest with a 6-2, 6-0 win over Christyn Lucas at the three seed.
North Carolina advances to the second round of the team championships and will play Wake Forest Saturday at 3 p.m. The Tar Heels defeated Wake Forest in the regular season, 4-3, at the Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center on March 29. The winner of the second round match will automatically advance to the Sweet Sixteen to be held in Stanford, Calif. May 18-22.
No. 8 North Carolina 4, South Carolina State 0
Doubles:
1. No. 8 Sara Anundsen/Jenna Long (UNC) d. Mirian Cruz/Marcela Rodezno (SCSU) 8-1
2. Caitlin Collins/Tanja Markovic (UNC) d. Yana Lytkina/Gisel Brito (SCSU) 8-1*
3. Meg Fanjoy/Austin Smith (UNC) led Vesna Popac/Alexis Panton (SCSU) 6-3, DNF
Order of finish: 1, 2
*Clinched the point
Singles:
1. No. 38 Jenna Long (UNC) d. Mirian Cruz (SCSU) 6-0, 6-1
2. No. 75 Caitlin Collins (UNC) vs. Marcela Rodezno (SCSU) 6-2, 6-0 *
3. No. 103 Sara Anundsen (UNC) led Vesna Popac (SCSU) 6-1, 2-1 DNF
4. Austin Smith (UNC) led Gisel Brito (SCSU) 6-1, 5-3 DNF
5. Laura Reichert (UNC) led Yana Lytkina (SCSU) 7-5, 0-0 DNF
6. Tanja Markovic (UNC) d. Alexis Panton (SCSU) 6-1, 6-1
Order of finish: 1, 6, 2
*Clinched the match
No. 21 Wake Forest 4, No. 36 University of South Carolina 1
Doubles:
1. Gira Schofield/Megan McGavock (USC) d Alex Hirsch/Sierra Poske (WFU) 8-5
2. Ashlee Davis/Ana Jerman (WFU) d. Christyn Lucas/Natasa Vuckovic (USC) 8-6 *
3. Christian Tara/Christine Simpson (WFU) d. Miranda Gutierrez/Grace Blakely (USC) 8-6
Order of finish: 3, 1, 2
*Clinched the doubles point
Singles:
1. No. 48 Gira Schofield (USC) vs. No. 44 Alex Hirsch (WFU) 6-5 DNF
2. No. 123 Ashlee Davis (WFU) vs. Natasa Vuckovic (USC) 6-1, 3-5 DNF
3. No. 125 Ana Jerman (WFU) d. Christyn Lucas (USC) 6-2, 6-0 *
4. Christian Tara (WFU) d. Miranda Gutierrez (USC) 6-1, retired
5. Megan McGavock (USC) d. Sierra Poske (WFU) 6-1, 6-1
6. Christine Simpson (WFU) d. Justine Walsh (USC) 6-1, 6-3
Order of finish: 4, 5, 6, 3
*Clinched the match
Players Mentioned
